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simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

18 years ago

Something of a morbid topic, but the recent ghost thread from Cwmorthin and the reference to Cwmorthin being known as 'the slaughterhouse' due to the death tolls and bad working practices.

The recorded death toll at Cwmorthin was 21 between 1875 and 1893 from a workforce of 550. Source Cwmorthin Slate Quarry, J G Isherwoord. The book also goes on to point out that this wasn't really a great deal worse than the death toll at the combined Oakely quarries.

I was wondering how this compared nationwide, both with the Cumbrian slate quarries, and UK mining as a whole. Presumably all these figures are recorded somewhere.

Did Cwmorthin deserve it's reputation and nickname?

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Bruce
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

In the book "Slates from Abergynolwyn" by Alan Holmes, it gives the details of nineteen fatal accidents between 1866 and 1928, but also includes how they died!

jagman
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

Cwmorthin is small fry in the killing game I'm afraid.
If memory serves correctly the Cumbrian coalfields (and metal mines to I guess) averaged a death toll of upwards of 300 a year at that time.
Several disasters of around a 100 men and boys at a time.
Will pull you some statistics later today if I get the time

LAP
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

The Durham mining museum website will have a lot of info on the slate quarries in Cumbria. As does Slate from Coniston (book).
But remember, some slate quarries were far less advanced than others. Oakeley and nearby ones were possibly the most advanced due to their size.
In Cumbria we used to undertake a dangerous procedure known as "open topping". This is when the roof to a chamber would be romoved from below, extrememly hasardous, and almost alsways had its accidents.

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sparty_lea
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

I think the coal mines of the peroid are the worst for accidental deaths, as Jagman says disasters such as fires and explosions underground killed hundreds of men together.

The metal mines up here didn't have the same gas problems and the statistics dont look half so bad with odd deaths from falling down shafts or roof falls and the like.
The work was very unhealthy on the lungs though and 40yrs was old for a leadminer, so maybe not so good if you take that into account.

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Those that understand binary and those that do not!

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration Topic Starter

18 years ago

The Durham Mining Museum has an In Memoriam section on it's home page, which month by month gives some idea of the loss of life. As has been observed, largely coal, and largely explosions.

http://www.dmm.org.uk/mindex.htm

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

sparty_lea
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

18 years ago

on the subject of mining deaths

I read a story in the Hexham Courant of the 1850's of a lead miner who had brought some dynamite home in his trouser pockets and forgot it was there.

He hung his trousers up to dry too close to the fire and the dynamite exploded.

He and his wife were out of the room and survived without serious injury but a young man who was lodging with them was killed.

There was no mention of any action taken against the miner for his carelessness.

There are 10 types of people in the world.

Those that understand binary and those that do not!